g-endron



(No Model.) y 2 sheets-sheet 1;

P. GENDRON.

VELOGIPBDE.

No. 400,074. I Patented MarfZ. 1889., l

(No Model.) 24 sheets-sheen 2..

' P'. GENDRON. VELOGIPEDE.

No. 400,074. Patented Mar. 26, 1889..

ff f 1E- TCL ,UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PETER GENDRON, OF TOLEDO, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE GENDRON IRON VHEEL COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

VELOCIPEDE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 400,074, dated March 26, 1889. Application filed November l5, 1887. Renewed January 23, 1889. Serial No. 297,297. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern.-

Be it known that I, PETER GENDRON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Toledo, in the county of Lucas and State of Ohio, have in vented certain new and useful Improvements in Velocipedes, of which the following' is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in the construction of velocipedes; and the invention consists in the peculiar construction, arrangement, and combination of different parts, whereby provision is made to secure the parts detachably together without the use of bolts, or with a minimum of bolts, so as to avoid the annoyance of the bolts becoming loose 0r lost, whereby devices of this kind, as now constructed, become so frequently inoperative or out of repair; and7 further, to permit of readily taking the device apart and putting it together again without the use of special tools or a mechanics skill, and so that it may be readily shipped in the knockdown condition without a multiplicity yof parts and mounted without the help 0f skilled artisans and with a minimum of time; and, further, to provide ample strength and security to provide safe and easy sport to the younger generation without requiring the familiarity or deftness requiredin the use of the high-priced instruments with their consequently delicate mechanism.

In the drawings which accompany the specification, Figure l is a perspective view of my improved velocipede. Fig. 2 is a vertical central longitudinal section thereof. Fig. 3 is a detail perspective showing the detachable connection between the front standard and back frame. Fig. 4 is a section of the upper end of the standard. Fig. 5 is a detached perspective view of one of the bearings formed in the lower end of the standard.` Fig. Gis a similar perspective view of said bearing dismounted. Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the saddle detached and looking at the under side thereof. Fig. 8 is a detached perspective view of -the adjustable saddle-clip.

A is the front wheel, and B are the hind wheels, the former constituting the drivewheel by bein g fast upon its axle and provided with the usual foot-cranks, C, and the wheels B revolve loosely upon their axle. These wheels are preferably of the kind used for this class of vehicles.

D is a bifurcatcd standard, provided at the upper end with the usual steering-handle, E,

and at the lower end with axle-bearings F, which are constructed as shown in Figs. 5 and G, wherein a and Z1 are equally-divided parts of the bearing, secured together by the hinged joint c. The half-bearing h terminates in the extension (Z, which, when the part-bearings are closed together, as shown in Fig. 5, forms a complement of the lower end of the standard, which, to receive this complementary part, is suitably cut away to form in connection with it a standard of oval cross-section, or nearly so, increasing slightly in thickness toward this axle-bearing, so as to hold in position the oval locking-ring e, which tightly wedges when forced down on the lower end of thestandard, and may be easily shoved upwardly again when desired to open the bearings for the purpose of releasing the front wheel. By making the standard and bearing as described and shown, the ring c cannot be slipped oft' the standard in any way, except after the half-bearing b is removed. Thus in constructing the device the ring has to be mounted upon the standard before the halfbearing l) is secured thereon. To dismount the front wheel from the standard is therefore accomplished by simply shoving up the rings c on the standard far enough to permit the hinged bearing to come apart and release the axle.

Near the upper endof the standard are formed two rearwardly-proj ecting ears, j' and f', which form bearings for the vertical pintles g and g', formed upon the forward end or head, I, of the back frame, and by means of which and the saddle-strap G a detachable connect-ion is made with the standard in the following manner: The forward end or head, I, has a limited vertical play between the ears j' and j", and the saddle-strap G is provided upon its forward end with an oblong slot, 71, which is sufficiently large to permit of its being slipped below the shoulder fion the upper pintle, as shown in Fig. S, and when the for- IOO ward end oli' the strap is brought to fit into the interval, between the upper ear and the shoulder l' and. kept at its proper tension it is prevented from slipping' down and locks the l'orward end of the back trame in position against any Vertical play. This vertical play is given lfor the purpose of detaching the parts, which is done in the following manner: The tension upon the saddle being released inthe man neras h ereinalter described, the slotted end et the sarhlle-strap is ln'ought down over the shoulder 1', as Ishown in Fig. 3. llhen, by inclining the back frame and front standard relatively to each other, as shown in lfig. ft, the lower pmtle may be raised ont ot its bearing and the parts detached laterally, as shown in Fig. 4'. 'lo this end the bearing in the upper ear is cut upon one side slanting, as shown atj in Fig. l. ly the reverse ot' the ol'ieration just described the parts can be easily re-engaged again, and there is no screw or other movable piece liable to bc lost in the whole combination, nor any tools whatever needel'l.

The back iralne YForms a single curved piece at its forward end, and is preferably made hollow lor the sake ot lightness. VFrom about its middle toward its rear end it bifurcates in a Vertical plane, the principal bifurcation reaching in a graceful curve toward the middle oli the rear axle, where it terminates in a hub or collar emljn'acing the rear axle, and secured thereto in any suitable manner. The lower bifurcation follows the sweep otE the trent wheel some'little distance farther down and torms a return upward bend,which arches rern'wardly and integrally connects with the upper bii'urcation, all so arrangmfl that a triangular truss is thereby ioilned, which strtnigthens the theoretically weak portion oi the back frame, and inipzi'rting at the same time thereto a desirable degree oi' airiness. ln one ot' the lower corners of this triangular truss is formed a web, lr, and in one oli' the upper corners thereof is l'ormed the web 1', such web being pi'elferal'ily formed integrally with the back trame, and these webs serve as points oi? attachment, preferably by riveting thereto, for tlielat'eral braces .Lwhich are bit'urcated at their forward ends and connect to each web, and are run up to the rear axle and connect therewith by means oit' suitable hnbs, so as to i'orm stationary end bearings for the hubs ol' the hind wheels.

l( is a bracket, preferably formed integrally with the back frame, and this bracket terms a support t'or the saddle, which is detaehabl y secured thereto in the following manner:

VL is a bearing-plate, proviffled with the slot nl near its forward end and the dependent lug 1l and longi tudinal mort ise o upon its under side. This longitudinal mortise oadjustably lelo w these tenons p and f1 of the bracket an adjustingserew, fr, i journaled therein and engagesinto a screw-threaded aperture ot' the dependent lug n, all so arranged that by this means tne bearing-plate L is securely and adjnstabl y secured on top of the bracket. 'lc the upper Vface oli' this locating-plate is seein-gal the saddle-spring m, which is of S shape, preferably secured thereto by means et' the single rivet s and two lugs, l, which embrace the spring upon opposite sides.

P is the saddle, made of leather or other tl exible material, and detach ably seen red upon its under side to the saddle-spring 'ni i-n the following manner: ny is a curved saddle-iron securely riveted to the underside olf the. saddle, and this is provided with the dependent loop n and pin ir, as shown in Fig. 2. 'lhe l'ree end ot' the saddle-spring is passed th rough the loop and engaged by means 01: a suitable hole i'ormed in its il'ree end with the pin lr. This connection, it will be seen, can be easily dissolved again by pressing the saddle sulciently upward to disengage the pin w from its engagement with the hole in the spring, when the saddle may be easily slipped ol'l.

To the forward end oi the saddle is secured, by suitable ri vetri or otherwise, the metallic rigid saddle-strap G, before described. rlhe Yforwart'l end of this saddle is engaged with the pintlc g of the back iframe in the manuel' bet'ore described.

P is a crotch near the forward end ot' the saddle-strap7 and in connection therewith the back frame provided, correspondin therewith, with an upwardly-projectfng wed gcshaped dn, (.2, so arranged that the crotch l embraces the tin Q and clamps the same, and thereby forms a means Vfor steadying the saddle against lateral sway, and at the same time provide against an y accidental disengagement ol? the connections oi said saddle.

Yr'hat I claim as my intfent-ion isl. In a \t*elocipe(ile, the combination7 with the drive-wheel and its axle, oi' abiiurcated standard provided at its lower ends with half-bearings integrally 'formed therewith, and with halt-bearings hinged thereto and provided with stubs forming complementary parts ot' the standard, and havin g jointly therewith an oval cross-section et' slightly-increasing area toward the lower ends ol said standard, and locking oval sleeves upon said standard, substantially as described.

E2. In a Velocipedc, a detachal'ilc connection between the back trame and the standard, the same consisting ot' two rearward]y-projeeting ears formed on the standard, one above the other, and provided with vertical bearings, the upper oneof which is enlarged at itslower end, of a head formed on the end et the back, ramefand adapted to engage between the ears on the standard and have a vertical play between, oitl two pint-les on said head enga ing into the bearings formed in said cars ol the standard, and ot' a saddle-swap providml at IOO its forward end with a slotted locking-plate adapted to secure the parts detachably together, substantially as described.

3. In a velocipede, the detachable connection between the back frame and the standard, the same consisting of two rearwardlyprojecting ears formed on the standard, one above and one below, a head formed on the 'front end of the back frame and adapted to engage between the ears on the standard and have a limited vertical play between the same, of two pintles on said head adapted to engage in vertical bearings formed in the ears of the standard, the upper one of which bearings is enlarged toward its lower end, of a saddle strap provided at its forward end with a slotted locking-plate adapted to detachably secure the head of the back frame to the standard, of a wedge-shaped lin formed on top of the back frame, and a crotch formed on the metallic saddle-strap'adapted to engage with said iin on the back frame, substantially as described.

4. In a velocinede, the detachable connec' tion between the back frame and the standard, the same consisting of two rearwardlyprojecting ears formed on the standard, one above and one below, a head formed on the front end of the back frame, and adapted to engage between the ears on the standard and have a limited vertical play between the same, of two pintles on said head adapted to engage in vertical bearings formed in the ears of the standard, the upper one of which bearings is enlarged toward its lower end, of a saddle-strap provided at its forward end with a slotted locking-plate adapted to detachably secure the head of the back frame to the standard, and of a saddle secured by an upwardly-dissolving connection with the back frame, substantially as shown.

5. In a'velocipede, the combination, with a front drive-wheel, a bifurcated standard in which said drive-wheel is journaled, a rear axle, two rear wheels journaled upon said rear axle, and a back frame, of a triangular vertical truss in one piece pivotally connected at the forward end tothe standard and secured at the rear end to the center of the rear axle, and of two lateral bifurcated braces, the

bifurcated front ends of which are secured to the mainframe upon opposite sides thereof, and the rear ends of which are secured to the rear axle near the outer ends thereof, substantially as described.

6. In a velocipede, the combination of a front drive-wheel, a bifurcated standard in which said drive-wheel is journaled, a rear axle, two hind wheels j ournaled upon said rear axle, a back frame consisting of a main frame in one piece, substantially of the 'form of a triangular vertical truss, pivotally connected to the standard and at the rear end secured to the center of the rear axle, and two lateral bifurcated braces upon opposite sides, with their bifurcated front ends secured to webs formed in the corners of the truss, integral therewith, and with their rear ends secured at the ends of the rear axle, respectively, substantially as described.

7. The combination, with the back frame and bracket K, of the bearing-plate L, the S- spring secured thereto and provided with a hole in its free end, the saddle P, and the saddle-iron n, provided with the pin w and loop n, all arranged to operate substantially as described.

8. Tlie combination, with the back frame and bracket K, of the bearing-plate L, adjustably secured upon said bracket, of the adjusting-screw r, j ournaled in stationarybearings in the bracket, and of the S-spring secured at one end to the bearing-plate and connected at the other end to the saddle and the saddle-strap, all substantially as described.

9. The combination, with the back frame, of the bracket K, having the upwardly-proj ect-ing lugs p q, the adjustable bearing-plate L, carrying the saddle-slot m, threaded lug n, and mortise o, formed on said bearingfplate, and the adjusting-screw r, all arranged substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature, in presence of two witnesses, this 19th day ot' September, 1887.

PETER GENDRON.

Vitnesses:

H. S. SPRAGUE, P. M. HULBERT. 

